Dayton Chapter

American Guild of Organists

Hello Every One! I hope everyone had a good time at the Chapter Dinner. I’m sorry I missed it, but I had a conflict due to some very happy events for me: My retirement from full-time research work, the “formal” ceremony and the “much less formal” celebration afterward. Each year we hold a “Talk Like a Pirate” Day Party. This year we merged TLAP and retirement to produce a unique and totally “us” ceremony. The picture shows Jim Owen serving a “Divorce Decree” separating me from my work and giving custody of the graduate students to my replacement – don’t worry – I still get visitation.

Now that I have a bit more time I plan to revamp both the Trumpetings and the Chapter Website, so stay tuned. If you have any suggestions for either, please email me at:

matt.dierking@agodayton.org.

We have two programs in October. The first is the Isabelle Demers concert at Westminster. This will be an outstanding concert and the chapter officers are serving as ushers for the program. If you’d like to serve as an usher email me at:

We typically go out to an informal chapter dinner afterward, so let me know if you’d like to go to dinner as well.

The second program is the Kevin Vaughn Recital at St Georges. Kevin called and asked if it would be possible for him to play a concert for us in honor of one of his former teachers, our very own Phyllis Warner. Phyllis was his instructor while he was a student at Cedarville University. Kevin recently completed his doctoral work so this should be a fabulous concert. Way to go Phyllis!

Join us for our October programs and all the other programs throughout the year!

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There are still a lot of organists in the area who don’t know about us. We have our updated chapter and national AGO brochures that will be distributed at our chapter events, concerts and to teachers and schools. If you know someone who should join or know of an event where there may be potential new organists/members, asks a board member for materials to give out.

Don’t forget to renew your AGO Membership! Thanks to everyone who has renewed their membership either through ONCARD or by sending your forms to our Membership Chair, Ellen Bagley. We have quite a few members who have not renewed, so please take the time to sign up. Ellen will be calling everyone to see if they need help with the new system or would rather renew the old way. Feel free to emailor call her if you have trouble.

We are not a stuffy group of high-brow organists, who all have organ performance degrees. No, no, far from it. We are teachers, students, part-time composers and arrangers, office workers, singers, music directors and pastors, professors, engineers, full-time and part-time organists, keyboard and electronic organ aficionados who enjoy supporting one another (and even borrowing from one another) as we play excellent church music that makes a joyful noise to the Lord! (And we eat together from time to time.) Come and join us this coming year.

The Mission of the AGO is:

To advance the cause of organ and choral music, to increase organ and choral music contributions to aesthetic and religious experiences, and to promote the understanding, appreciation and enjoyment of organ and choral music.

To improve the proficiency of organist and choral conductors. To evaluate, by examination, attainments in organ playing, choral techniques, conducting, and the theory and general knowledge of music, and to grant certificates to those who pass such examinations at specified levels of attainment.

To provide members with opportunities to meet for discussion of professional topics, and to pursue such other activities that contribute to the fulfillment of the purposes of the guild.

Soli Deo Gloria

Happy New Year Everyone!

I hope everyone had a great Christmas music season. From the Messiah at Wittenberg to the Carillon Brass at the Loft to Noonday Carols at Westminster, Lynn and I enjoyed some really great Christmas music.

Now it’s time to start thinking about the year to come. So what’s your resolution? Perhaps there’s that one piece you’ve always wanted to learn, an area organ you always wanted to play or maybe you just want to stay on top of the year’s music schedule. No matter what your resolutions are, hopefully there’s room for one more: To Get Engaged with the Chapter. We’ve had some great programs so far, and there’s much more to come. I hope you’ll plan to attend the programs, or even better, volunteer to help with your favorite one, or suggest a new one for next year. Working the programs with other members can be very enjoyable, and it is definitely a great help to the chapter.

Priscilla Acuff and Jerry Taylor are working on the next program now. “Meet the Church Organ for Pianist and Organ Enthusiasts” is meant to introduce pianists, or just folks interested in the organ, to the pipe organ. It will be held Saturday, February 8th, at 10:00 AM at South Park United Methodist Church. If you know a pianist who would like to learn to play the organ or a parishioner who is just curious, encourage them to come. If you’d like to help just call or email Jerry Taylor, and he’ll get you involved.